Messages

1

2024 Exchanges / Re: Let's hear it for the USPS

« on: September 08, 2024, 01:39:50 PM »

This is so true Irene. Especially the white or gold ink on red or even a dark color. The Post Office optical system struggles to read it so it gets kicked out and then (gasp) a human has to intervene. Which I learned last year after having 5 holiday envelopes returned to me - all with complete and correct addresses and 5 different excuses reasons for the return. I suspect reading cursive is the blockade and it is easier for them to return to sender. But the mystery is where does it go during all that time. I suppose it’s just sitting waiting in a bin somewhere for the backlog to be sorted. 

2

Spencerian Script / Re: Enid Oklahoma

« on: September 08, 2024, 01:34:46 PM »

Wow! That is absolutely beautiful and moving and makes me want to move to Enid right away! I felt transported back to my college days of reading English Literature the likes of T.S. Eliot and Wordsworth. Truly, this is a remarkable ode. The lovely Spencerian is further icing on the cake. Thank you for sharing it with us! 

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Broad Edge Pen Calligraphy / Re: Text by Byron J Macdonald

« on: September 07, 2024, 12:12:54 PM »

Beautiful foundational! You make it look so easy even though it is definitely not.

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: 100th Birthday Card for WW II Veteran

« on: September 05, 2024, 06:57:52 PM »

I laughed out loud at this! I mailed mine too, last week, and I am hoping the same. 

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: The Ford "r"

« on: September 04, 2024, 06:50:08 PM »

Great examples Ken, thank you! I will be paying closer attention to the 'r' in various works going forward.

We called it the "Ford r" in jest as it is used in Ford's logo (which has also erroneously been attributed as having its foundation in Spencerian - which we know is not true). I, myself, did not know its real name, "the practical r" until discovering this text.

Thanks again for sharing the examples. 

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Coca-Cola logo

« on: September 04, 2024, 06:47:16 PM »

Sir Ken has spoken and I concur! 

BTW Ken, it was approved because the gentleman who created it was also one of the original investors/creators/originators of Coca-Cola and so he was essentially calling the shots. (See what happens when you don't hire a professional?  )

@tiffany.c.a - the illustration is an advertisement used a few years after the logo was created. And it's apparent a real artist was used to do the illustration and calligraphy in a gorgeous Roundhand. Thus the difference between that and the logo on the bottle. What I find really interesting is that the artist was able to separate the two. But honestly, probably the majority of people (and perhaps even the majority of calligraphy enthusiasts) wouldn't be able to discern the difference.

The Coca-Cola lettering has nothing to do with Spencerian but is a failed attempt to emulate English Roundhand (Copperplate) and the script of Louis Madarasz.
It is so bad I am surprised that it was ever approved and has survived for so long. This badly-drawn lettering is an insult to Spencerian (which it doesn't even remotely resemble) and in particular to the great calligrapher Louis Madarasz.

One final point, the flourish passing through the letter l is dreadful. In Copperplate thick lines never cross!

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ProCreate Calligraphy / Re: New to Procreate

« on: September 04, 2024, 06:39:43 PM »

Hi Irene,
How EXCITING! ProCreate is an amazing tool and there are so many options. I would suggest visiting Every-Tuesday.com. . She has a great variety of classes and brushes available.

Also, YouTube has hundreds if not thousands of free tutorials for ProCreate. Search How To ProCreate and you will see a variety of getting started videos.

Let me know if you get stuck or have a question about something specific as you go and I may be able to help. Have fun!

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: The Ford "r"

« on: September 03, 2024, 09:39:18 PM »

So interesting! I do all of my computer work with my left hand (mousing, drawing, etc.) and non-computer work with my right. Keeps me balanced. Look at Kalo Chu on Instagram - she does backward (mirror) writing with her non-dominant hand as meditation. It’s pretty amazing!

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: The Ford "r"

« on: September 03, 2024, 11:09:33 AM »

I just realized Mr. Farr was phonetically spelling the letters in the title!  So ‘r’ is Ar and ‘q’ is Ku. 

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Coca-Cola logo

« on: September 02, 2024, 07:24:12 PM »

BTW, if you want really go down the rabbit hole and read a fascinating account of the origination of Coca Cola, and Frank Mason Robinson's vested interest (literally and figuratively), trademark robbery, and advertising, this is a fascinating read. You have to borrow it on Archive.

The Sparkling Story of Coca Cola: An Entertaining History. The author makes no mention of Spencerian but does say Robinson spent months perfecting the logo. I am tending to believe this version of history versus Del's recount two layers deep that Madarasz said he designed it.

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Coca-Cola logo

« on: September 02, 2024, 06:49:45 PM »

OK, I'm on a roll!!! 

This is one of the first advertisements for Coca Cola featuring a model - this is singer and model Hilda Clark. She was featured in various ads from the late 1890's to 1904.

Take a look at the note on the desk in front of her...  What do we see???

Roundhand!!!!

Another great Coca Cola logo article (minus the Spencerian part): The Story of the Coca-Cola Logo

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Coca-Cola logo

« on: September 02, 2024, 06:47:21 PM »

The plot thickens ...

In this article about Frank Mason Robinson it details Robinson's 20 year career at Coca Cola and how his logo was "based on Spencerian Script." 

However, I suspect, this article also falls victim to the "Spencerian Script" basis myth as well.  What I think really happened was Robinson, who was a bookkeeper by trade would have been familiar with both Spencerian and Roundhand. I think he crafted the logo, "borrowing" the Madarasz swoosh and lettering an amalgam of Roundhand and Spencerian. Perhaps because he was not a penman, it looked to him like Spencerian. (Or someone later on down the line gave it that attribute.) No one thus far has established where the idea he based it on Spencerian originated other than a century later speculation.

This article mentions Robinson as an "adept utilizer of Spencerian Script" and as a "skilled calligrapher." Looking at the original logo - given the placement of the shades - it was lettered, not written. And "adept" would not be my first adjective.

Even shaded Spencerian looks vastly different. I see no characteristics of Spencerian in that original logo. If someone else does, please correct me.

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Coca-Cola logo

« on: September 02, 2024, 06:22:32 PM »

Fascinating!!! Thank you Tiffany and Mike for filling in the details. I have to say, other than the C flourished endings, I see NOTHING of Madarasz's hand in the original work.

I'm going to have to find a psychic to channel Madarasz to get to the truth. 

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Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: The Ford "r"

« on: September 02, 2024, 06:15:30 PM »

Oh my goodness - time well spent today!

I found this lesson on the lowercase r and it details the "practical r."  This comes from John Wesley Farr's book, "Farrian Complete Penmanship." This was published in 1894. But what is curious is the entire alphabet is identical to Spencerian but Mr. Farr has named it Farrian. He makes no mention of Spencer in his text and states, "It is the outcome of ten years' experience in teaching the Art of Penmanship."

No. 6. When should the "practical r" be used: "It should always be used when it is preceded by a horizontal curve as in the small letters b, o, v, and w."

In any event, another mystery solved!

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Spencerian Script / Re: The “sample letter”, 139 years old

« on: September 02, 2024, 05:25:22 PM »

How delightful! Thank you!